Instant messaging has become a widely used tool for communicating in real-time over the Internet. Millions of Internet users are using instant messaging applications to chat with fiends and family, communicate in chat rooms, and even to exchange pictures or documents. Moreover, several organizations and businesses are integrating instant messaging applications into their repertoire of standard network tools to enhance business communication and replace costly telecommunication services (e.g., telephone and video conferencing). As the Internet's popularity continues to increase around the world, international communication is increasingly common. This means, however that users will encounter language barriers when using instant messaging.
There are several techniques currently available for addressing such language barriers. In one, a user of an instant messaging tool types a message in their own, or preferred, language into a separate translation program or web site. The user must then activate the translation tool to translate the message into the destination language, and cut and paste the translated text back into the text field of the instant messaging tool. Once this is complete, the user can transmit the message. While this method can be effective, it is obvious that the process of continually cutting, pasting and switching between applications significantly impedes the communication process. Locating good translation tools can also be difficult and distracting for users. And because any one translation tool may not support all language needs a particular user could have, a user may find himself or herself utilizing numerous different tools to chat with different contacts around the world, which also lessens the utility of the messaging service.
In other techniques, a dedicated translation tool is integrated with an instant messaging program. These techniques are lacking in flexibility, however, because they tie the messaging program to a single translation tool and do not take advantage of existing translation tools available, many online, some of which are updated frequently and are of a superior quality. In other techniques, a sort of translation “middle man” is used to translate messages as they are sent from one user to another. While these techniques require little additional work on the part of the user, some users may find that they require too much delegation of control to the translator, preventing users from controlling how their messages are translated and from refining the translated messages. A final problem with existing automated translation techniques is that many require each user to utilize the same translation technology in order that both can communicate across a language divide.